Fairest by Gail Carson Levine My rating: 4 of 5 starsI remember enjoying Ellla Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine when I was younger, so I was excited to try Fairest, another book in that universe. In this installment, Levine uses several plot elements from the classic Snow White story.Our first person point-of-view character, Aza, is… Continue reading The full-cast recording of Fairest by Gail Carson Levine is a great YA fantasy for Broadway-lovers
Girl, Unstrung by Claire Handscombe My rating: 4 of 5 starsGirl, Unstrung is a contemporary YA book about Clara, a high school freshman who has three siblings and semi-famous parents in her blended family. She auditioned as a violist to attend LACHSA, the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, but did not make… Continue reading Girl, Unstrung by Claire Handscombe is a pleasant contemporary YA novel that shows needed love to violists
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle My rating: 4 of 5 starsAt under 150 pages, The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle was a perfect horror read for me to celebrate the beginning of Spooky Month. It also went towards my participation in #BlackOWeenAthon, a read-a-long hosted by Loc'D Booktician on booktube.CW:… Continue reading The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle is a great short read for Spooky Month
Off the Grid by Kay Richard My rating: 3 of 5 stars 2.5 stars that I'm rounding up to a 3. The author tells 90% of the time and shows 10% of the time and that isn't a pleasant ratio for me. The worldbuilding is also lackluster.I read the ebook version of Off the Grid,… Continue reading Off the Grid by Kay Richard is a debut novel that tells more than it shows
True Loaf by L. Austen Johnson My rating: 4 of 5 starsTrue Loaf is a YA fantasy short story that can be read in less than 30 minutes. A strange man puts in a strange request at the bakery where our heroine Riley works, causing her to go on a small adventure to find an… Continue reading Short Story Short Review: True Loaf (A Balkan Folklore Inspired Short Story)
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison My rating: 4 of 5 stars 4.5 stars, rounded down.I listened to the audiobook version of this novel, which clocked in at 16 hours at 25 minutes. It was narrated by Kyla McCarley. I listened to this in just two main sit-downs, within a span of 48 hours. As… Continue reading I inhaled The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison in 48 hours
The Mysterious Study of Doctor Sex by Tamsyn Muir My rating: 4 of 5 stars I loved both Palamedes Sextus and Camilla Hect in Gideon the Ninth, and was glad to see this short story prequel set when they were both thirteen. It seems best to read this after reading the aforementioned Gideon novel.I really… Continue reading Short Story Short Review: The Mysterious Study of Doctor Sex by Tamsyn Muir
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides My rating: 3 of 5 stars (3.5 rounded down to a 3)A good read for a dark academia prompt. I inhaled the first 43% of the book in my first sitting. It's very "potato chip"-y, as the chapters are individually pretty short, so I found myself wanting to read "just… Continue reading The Maidens is a great choice for a dark academia reading prompt
I binged the first two books in the Harmony Black series by Craig Schaefer over the course of two days (one book each day). To be fair, I had half-days of work, which meant I was done by 10:30 AM (I start super early) so I had a lot of time to kill those days. The books are… Continue reading Quick Review: Harmony Black Series (Urban Fantasy, 2 books out so far)
Over the past several months, my partner and I listened to the audiobook versions of the four-book Ayala Storme series by Emmie Mears. The ebook versions are available for free via Kindle Unlimited, and you can purchase the Audible version for an additional $1.99 each. The Audible version is narrated by Amber Benson, whom you may recognize as the actress who played Tara on… Continue reading Quick Review: Ayala Storme Series (4 books, completed Urban Fantasy series with queer women)
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